Carpet sweeper and brush cleaning combs therefor



Nov. 20, 1956 F. w. PULLEN CARPET SWEEPER AND BRUSH CLEANING COMBS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 10.. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "CWVQKM Nov. 20, 1956 F. w. PULLEN 2,770,825

CARPET SWEEIPER AND BRUSH CLEANING COMES THEREFOR Filed Sept. 1-0, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllllllllllll IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent CARPET SWEEPER AND BRUSH CLEANIN COMBS THEREFOR Fred W. Pullen, Grand Rapids, Mich.', assignor to Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application September 10, 1951, Serial No. 245,830

4 Claims. (CI. 15-48) This invention relates to improvements in carpet sweepers and brush cleaning combs therefor.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide in a carpet sweeper an improved brush cleaning comb assembly which is highly eflicient in the removing of lint or fluff from the brush even under static conditions which render removal of such material difli- I Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a carpet sweeper f embodying the invention, portions of the top of the casing being broken away and other portions of the casing sectioned to better disclose structural features.

Fig. 2 is, an enlarged fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a comb of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form or embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a detailed section on a line corresponding to line 55 of Fig. 4.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises the casing designated generally by the numeral 1 and provided with floor wheels 2, the shaft or axles 3 of which are floatingly mounted. The axles are provided with housings 4. The rotary brush designated generally by the numeral 5 is provided with a pulley 6 coacting with the floor wheels 2 so that the brush is reversingly rotated as the .sweeper is operated with a reciprocating motion.

The mounting of the brush may desirably be that illustrated in my Patent 2,418,725, issued April 8, 1947. Dustpans 7 are mounted at each side of the brush. The mounting of the dustpans and control thereof may desirably be that of my Patent 2,319,631, issued May 18, 1943, but as those details form no part of the present invention they are not illustrated herein.

The brush comprises a cylindrical body portion 8 having tufts of bristles 9 set therein as indicated at 10. The combs of the invention comprise bar-like body portions 11 having a series of substantially and uniformly spaced long teeth 12 and a plurality of relatively short teeth 13 between adjacent pairs of long teeth on the forward edge thereof. The embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 is formed as a stamping, the bar portion and the teeth being uniformly curved with the bar portion having a rearwardly turned stiffening flange 14 at its rear edge. The long ice.

teeth are substantially longer than the short teeth, desir'- ably of the order of three times the length of the short teeth. The long teeth are in the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of uniform width throughout the major portion of the length thereof and have pointed tips. The short teeth 13 are in the preferred form forwardlytapered throughout the lengththereof and coact with each other and with the long teeth providing rearwardly tapering recesses 15 between the teeth. Both the long and the short teeth are of flat cross section.

The combs are provided with brackets 16-at their ends which are fixedly secured to the casing or frame members 17 by means of the screws 18. The combs are positioned on opposite sides of the brush with their teeth in staggered relation. This is particularly desirable as to the-long teeth because of their substantial spacing to permit there being a plurality of the short teeth between adjacent pairs of long teeth. The combs are also positioned so that the long teeth penetrate the tufts to a substantial depth and they are spaced relative to the tufts so that, each tuft is penetrated by at least one long tooth as the tufts swing or move past the combs upon rotation of the brush in either direction. The short teeth areof such length and positioned so as to penetrate the ends of the tufts for a relatively short distance. The long teeth enter the bristles to a substantial depth and act to remove the fluffy or other material'which mayhave penetrated the tufts to a substantial depth. The short teeth penetrate between the end portions only of the bristles and the ends of the bristles passing through the recesses are effectively wiped and cleared of fluff or lint which tends to adhere to the ends of the bristles, particularly where .there is substantial static condition which causes the flulf or lint to adhere to the tuftsso that it is not effectively removed by the long teeth and the fluff may be redeposited by the tufts on the carpet or surface being cleaned as indicated at 19.

When fluff or lintvis first. contacted by a sweeper brush, it is commonly in loose. formation, a little at a time being picked up until it gradually becomes compacted under the action of the brush. In sweepers on the market, even those provided with combs with which the applicant is familiar, these bits of compacted fluff are frequently carried back by the brush and deposited on the carpet or surface being cleaned and this leads the user to the con-. clusion that the sweeper is inefficient or defective. In the applicants structure this fluff is effectively removed even under severe static conditions. The fixed mounting of the combs insures that they are at all times effectively presented to the brush. When the brush is rotating toward the comb the fluff or lint or other material is removed from the tufts and mainly deposited in the associated pan; however, if it adheres to the comb it is wiped off on the reverse rotation of the brush. By staggering the, teeth the bristles are effectively combedeven though the long teeth be substantially spaced or spaced to receive a plurality of the short teeth' between them.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the body member 20 has a curved flange 22 on its forward edge. The long and short teeth 23 and 24 are formed in pairs by U bent pieces of wire, the teeth being passed through holes 25 in the flange 22 of the bar 20 and clamped therein as illustrated in Fig. 5 or they may be secured by welding, not illustrated. This specific manner of forming the long and short teeth does not lend itself to providing a plurality of short teeth between the long teeth but the structure has certain advantages.

It is found that the resistance to rotation of the brush with the fixedly mounted combs of the preferred embodiment is not such as to be evident in the operation of the sweeper as compared to structures in which the combs are pivotally mounted.

I have illustrated and described the invention in highly practical embodiments thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other adaptationsor embodiments which I contemplate as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt the invention as maybe desired. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a carpet sweeper including a .casing, a rotatably mounted tufted brush, floor wheels operatively associated with the brush to drive him opposite directions as the sweeper is reciprocated, and a dustpan disposed at each side of the brush, of combs fixedly mounted at the sides of the brush above and adjacent to the dustpans to discharge thereto, each of said combs having a series of relatively long longitudinally curved and uniformly spaced teeth of fiat section and of uniform width throughout the major portion thereof and having pointed tips, and a plurality of tapered relatively short longitudinally curved teeth of fiat section disposed between adjacent long teeth, said long and short teeth being of substantially the same curvature and positioned to present their concaved sides to the brush, the adjacent pairs of teeth coacting to provide downwardly tapering recesses between adjacent teeth, the long teeth of one comb being in staggered relation to the long teeth of the other comb, the long teeth being positioned so that only the outer end portions thereof penetrate the outer ends of the brush tufts as the tufts are carried past the combs on the rotation of the brush, the long teeth being spaced relative to the tufts so that each tuft is so penetrated by at least one long tooth as the brush is reversely rotated by the reciprocating movement of the sweeper, the short teeth being positioned so that they do not substantially penetrate the tufts but brushingly coact with the ends thereof to remove material carried on the ends of the tufts as the tufts sweep downwardly on the downward stroke of the tufts.

2. In combination with a carpet sweeper including a casing, a rotatably mounted brush, floor wheels operatively associated ,with one brush to drive it in opposite directions as the sweeper isreciprocated, and a dustpan disposed at each side of the brush, of combs fixedly mounted at the sides of the brush above and adjacent to the dustpans to discharge thereto, each of said combs having a series of relatively long longitudinally curved and uniformly spaced teeth, and a plurality of relatively short longitudinallycurved teeth disposed between adjacent long teeth, said long and short teeth being of substantially the same curvature and positioned to present their concave sides to the brush, the long teeth being positioned so that only the outer end portions thereof penetrate the outer ends of the brush bristles as the bristles are carried past the combs on the rotation of the brush, the short teeth being positioned so that they do not substantially penetrate the bristles but brushingly coact with the ends thereof to remove material carried on the ends of the bristles as the bristles sweep downwardly on the downward stroke of the bristles.

3. In combination, a carpet sweeper including a casing,

4 a rotatably mounted brush, floor wheels drawingly as sociated with the brush, and a dustpan disposed at one side of the brush, of a comb mounted at the side of the brush above and adjacent to the dustpan to discharge thereto, said comb having a series of relatively long longitudinally curved and uniformly spaced teeth of fiat section and of uniform width throughout the major portion thereof and having pointed tips, and a plurality of relatively short tapered longitudinally curved teeth of fiat section disposed between adjacent long teeth, said long and short teeth being of substantially the same curvature and positioned to present their concaved sides to the brush, the adjacent pairs of teeth coacting to provide downwardly tapering recesses between adjacent teeth, the long teeth being positioned so that only the outer end portions thereof penetrate the outer ends of the brush bristles as they are carried past the comb on the rotation of the brush, the short teeth being positioned relative to the brush so that they do not substantially penetrate the brush bristles but brushingly coact with the ends thereof to remove material carried on the ends of the bristles as they sweep downwardly on the downward stroke of the bristles.

4. In combination, a carpet sweeper including a casing, a rotatively mounted brush, floor wheels drivingly associated with the brush, and a dustpan disposed at one side of the brush, of a comb mounted at the side of the brush above and adjacent to the dustpan to discharge thereto, said comb having a series of relatively long longitudinally curved and uniformly spaced teeth, and at least one short tooth disposed between adjacent long teeth, said long and short teeth being of substantially the same curvature and positioned to present their concaved sides to the brush, the long teeth being positioned so that only the outer end portions thereof penetrate the outer ends of the brush bristles as they are carried past the comb on the rotation of the brush, the short teeth being positioned relative to the brush so that they do not substantially penetrate the brush bristles but brushingly coact with the ends thereof to remove material carried on the ends of the bristles as they sweep downwardly on the downward stroke of the bristles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 219,848 Clarke Sept. 23, 1879 454,175 Mauborgne June 16, 1891 655,896 Davis Aug. 14, 1900 1,147,440 Roach July 20, 1915 1,381,973 Davis June 21, 1921 1,558,717 Stukenborg et al Oct. 27, 1925 2,302,275 Thiele Nov. 17, 1942 2,380,634 Daniels July 31, 1945 2,436,460 Thiele Feb, 24, 1948 2,642,617 Lilly June 23, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 244,953 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1925 263,451 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1926 

